Another Year, Another Battle! These Guys Think They’re Right. What Do You Think?
WINNER: SIDEWINDER SRX & THUNDERCAT
In Mark’s own words, this is a “no-brainer” – and if anyone should know what that means, it’s definitely Mark.
In case he hadn’t noticed, both these sleds share the same chassis and engine and it’s almost impossible to separate them from one another. What is different however, aside from their clutches and windshields, is their overall calibration. Believe it or not, they do feel different and perform differently in certain situations.
What’s truly important is the fact both the Yamaha and the Cat represent the fulfillment of the performance rider’s dream of buying the very fastest sled your bank manager will allow.
When you slap down your greenbacks for either of these sleds you’re guaranteeing you’ll be first to the end of the lake – every time. No stock 2-stroke, no other 4-stroke will be in sight as you dismount, look at your watch and check the horizon for your riding buddies.
The fact these sleds can be equipped with a premium Fox driver-adjustable suspension system is moot. The most important thing here is savory, delicious, delectable acceleration and top speed. This is the dispensary for bragging rights and so far, purchasers have been nowhere near disappointed with either brand.
A big change this year has been a tweaked front end called ARCS with different spindles and higher mounting points for the lower A-arms.
This, in combo with a relocated mounting point for the skid’s front arm, has solved a steering numbness problem Yamaha has struggled with the past few years (Cat didn’t).
Mark will try to tell you performance riders don’t need a sled that edges up to 200-stallions – that 150 is enough. Line up a hundred snowmobilers and ask them if 180-plus horsepower were available, would they settle for 30 to 50 less? Nope.
– Kent
RUNNER-UP: RENEGADE X 900 ACE TURBO
Kenny, here you go again insulting our fully deodorized, permanent pressed, and well-informed readership.
Our readers want a super fast, top performance snowmobile that actually rides well and handles like it’s on rails – all with a mega-powerful engine under the hood.
That describes Ski-Doo’s rMotion equipped, long travel, stable geometry RAS front end and sophisticated remote adjustability of suspension shocks – all included on most variations of the Ski-Doo 900 ACE Turbo.
Alas, you’ve succumbed to the brawny horsepower paradigm that sez “nothing’s more important than the big end”. Thousands of 900 ACE Turbo buyers will attest there’s more to owning a turbo than 125-mph pulls down Kevlar Lake.
– Mark
